The Child Of The Saint
by Everlasting Blue
Summary: My father, they say, is a great man." This is the story of the one you leave behind when you're out on your quests. The one who loves you more than anything but has never seen you or met you. This is your daughter. And this is her story.


_**A/N:**__**Hi! I've been playing a lot of Fable 2 lately and got this wondrous idea. At first, this was merely a brainstorming prompt/writing exercise, but then it got bigger and turned into a full blown Fable 2 fanfiction! Yay! So, read and review and please enjoy this. I know I'll enjoy writing it. **_

_**Summary:**__** "My father, they say, is a great man." Life as a Hero's child is not so easy, especially for Gwen, whose seemingly perfect life is turned upside down when her Mother is killed and her father thinks her dead. With the help of some friends, and perhaps some enemies, Gwen's life becomes a quest to find her father and to avenge her mother's death. The only question is: will she be as saintly and good as her parents? Or will she turn out to be something much more sinister?**_

Introduction-

Everyone in the camp consider my mother to be the most beautiful woman in all of Albion. And I wouldn't argue with that. She has long, sleek black hair and gentle dark eyes. Her skin is bronze from the hours she spends under the sun working in the fields. It's no surprise that, though she was a gypsy, my father fell in love with her and married her.

That is how I came about.

Father, a rich, wealthy man, bought Mum a lovely home in Bowerstone, filling it with luxuries and expensive decors that would make most wives happy. He gave her the largest dowry and a large allowance—enough to feed a whole country! However, Mum was not content in Bowerstone. People there hated gypsies with a passion and would treat my Mum badly; often, she would be kicked out of stores and given a high mark-up on stall items. Not once was a kind word or a friendly saying said to her. They treated my father differently, I'm sure, but definitely not my Mum. My Mum hated it in Bowerstone, and it became unbearable when my father left on his adventures.

When I was born, it was my father who named me Gwenevere, though nobody calls me that. "He was there when I had you, you know, Gwen." Mum told me one day, a pleasant smile on her pretty face. She sighed and continued, "For nearly a year, he doted on me and spoiled me and took such wonderful care of me. After I had you, he was so happy! He bought you only the best—the best food, the best cribs, the best toys…" Her voice faded, and so did her smile.

After I was born, my father left for some grand quest. Mum never told me why, and I suspected that she probably didn't know why herself. I had few memories of my father, and none of them are my own. Often, I would listen to the bard's tales of his adventures. Certainly I know what he looks like—long blond hair pulled back in a ponytail and bright blue eyes. But I've never met Father in person, though I reckon that he's a wonderful man. Sometimes, a stranger would pass me by while I'm roaming the streets with my friends and tell me there was no one kinder than my father. I would read the plaques that were put on the statues of him that are scattered all around Bowerstone that summarize some of his many achievements in a few sentences. There were many books about him as well, and those I would read eagerly so I could learn more about him. These were the only ways I could learn about my father and get to know him, for when I would ask Mum about him, she would change the subject or have a strange, blank look on her face. And when she would give me a straight answer, she would just say, "He'll be back home, soon. I promise."

One of the few things Father left behind was a sword. Mum told me not to touch it, as I would only hurt myself. He put it on the wall, hanging it for all to see. It frightens my friends when they see it, as they say it's probably cursed. But it fascinates me. The glint of the blade when the sunlight floods past the glass of the widows and the crystal clear reflection of the sharp-edged steel—I've always wondered what it would be like to use that sword and from the moment I saw it, to wield it is but one of many lifetime dreams.

Another thing—or rather, friend—Father left behind was his mutt, Aeon. At night, he's my pillow. During the day, he's my protector. I can't go anywhere without him following him everywhere I got, even if I'm with my friends. Mum says that it's a good thing that he always follows me around, as she knows I'm safe with Aeon. "He's actually trained to kill, you know, so I trust that dog with your life." Aeon is a sweet and loveable dog, and it's impossible to get mad at him. Why my father left him behind, I would never know.

Now, life isn't so bad without my father around. Mum, as mentioned earlier, gets a large sum of gold every single day to pay for anything we need. Most of the money is saved in a bank, and what little mum uses goes to our food and any other necessities. Sometimes, Mum will give me some gold to buy myself a toy from the store and buy me some sweets on the rare occasions she ventures out of our house to buy food. Every night, she kisses me and recites tales of other heroes before Father to put me to sleep. If anything, there is no necessity for a father; Mum lives a fairly happy life, and so do I. Life goes on without Father.

I still wish I could meet him, though. After all, my father, they say, is a hero. The hero of all heroes. People say that I could grow up to be just like him. But then, people could be wrong.

_**Chapter 1**__**- Father, Where Have You Been?**_

The first time any new Bowerstone citizen sees me, the first thing they would think after being told that I was the child of the Hero of Bowerstone is that I was too strange-looking or plain to be his child. I had inherited my mother's sleek black hair and her chocolate brown eyes and Dad's tan skin. Unfortunately, I had not the fortune of inheriting my parents' renowned looks. Instead, I inherited everything else.

I was popular among the other children of Bowerstone, most of whom were my 'friends', though I knew that if my father wasn't a luminary, then they wouldn't go anywhere near me. In truth, they thought I was ugly and too boring to play with, as I would rather read or roam the streets on my own rather than play their silly little games with them. And let's not forget most of their parents like to say horrible things about my mother to their children. Basically, the only real friend I had was Aeon, though for the past few days, he's been missing from the house.

"He's probably found himself a lady friend, that mutt." Mum told me when I woke up this morning. Sighing, she shakes her head and begins her never ending quest to keep the house spotless. "Honestly, it's about time that he had a family and home of his own."

"Mummy, can I go outside and play with my friends?" I asked. Outside, though it was a bit early in the morning, I could already hear the playful laughter of the other children. "I'll stay close to the house." Mother sighs again before giving me permission. Before she knows it, I'm out the door, having found the other children, who are running up and down the streets of Fairfax road. There are exactly five of them outside my house, all of whom I recognize. Amelia, Catherine, Isaac, Jack, and Julia—my 'closest friends'. Amelia is their leader, and though she nine and is the youngest of them all, is probably the more frightening of them. Amelia is a beautiful girl, with golden locks and a normally charming disposition to most adults. She is also rich—perhaps richer than I—and gets everything she wants by merely smiling and twirling her beautiful hair. Most of the villagers call her 'Bowerstone's Sweetheart', but I call her the Devil's Own. After she gets tired of being showered with gifts from adults, she bullies other kids into doing her bidding, such as eating worms and clearing away any poo from the ground before she walks. Her older sisters, Catherine and Julia, are both eleven years old and have the same golden locks and beauty. Unlike Amelia, they are not intimidating (unless, of course, you find helpless puppies to be intimidating) and even though they're older than Amelia, they do everything she tells them to. Blonde haired Isaac and red haired Jack, the previous being thirteen and the latter being twelve, are like Amelia's bodyguards—they follow her around and harass anyone besides me who go hear her. Isaac and Jack are probably the stupidest and meanest boys I've met in my life and have no good in them whatsoever, as their pastimes include making fun of Catherine and Julia, harming helpless creatures, and ganging up on the lower-class children.

They all stare at me when I run up to them, asking if I could join their game. Amelia puts on her trademark smile, though she grits her teeth. "I thought you'd rather read, dear friend." There was a venom in her sweet voice. "Of course you could play with us!"

"But, sis, I thought you said that she was too ugly to play with us… ow!" Jack rubbed his head where Isaac slapped him. Ignoring his comment, Amelia took my hand.

"We're playing hide and seek. Come on. We'll go hide together. Jack, count, or I'll tell Mummy that you killed a puppy." _Maybe I should have stayed inside today,_ I thought out of remorse, letting Amelia drag me down the street. Once her brothers and sisters were out of sight, she digs into her pocket and takes out a golden locket.

"What's that?" I ask her. "It's beautiful."

"It's for you!" Amelia smiles in what seems like genuine happiness—a glimpse of her true loyalty, perhaps? I take the locket in my hand, examining it carefully. "I bought it just for you."

"Really? Amelia, that's the nicest thing you've ever done for me!" I put it around my neck, wrapping my arms around her. Perhaps Amelia wasn't so bad after all. "Thank you so much!"

"Of course." Says the Spawn of Satan as she takes my hand again. "I think I hear the boys… come on! This way!" Again, Amelia leads the way.

I looked behind us, wondering if Mum noticed I wasn't near our house at all. Now, I wasn't worried about getting lost, as I knew my way around very well, even without Aeon to aide me. I was worried about the condition of my rear-end upon my return home, as Mum would get really mad if she saw that I had left her field of vision. The last think I'd want to get is a beating from Mum, and while her punishments are rare, they're severe.

Before I knew it, Amelia and I had stopped. She had a strange grin on her face as she looked behind her. At that moment, I noted where we were—the slums. The lawless part of Bowerstone, where evil deeds are done by the hour and sinners spread their filth everywhere. The houses were all tattered and ramshackle and there was a disgusting scent in the air. "Amelia, where are we? We shouldn't be here."

"Oh, don't be a chicken, stupid girl." Amelia tossed her golden hair. "We're hiding from my siblings. But, we're going on an adventure, as well! We're going to find some Hobbes and slay them." I frowned.

"Amelia, you do realize that Hobbes don't exist, right?" Amelia laughed.

"That's why we're pretending. Now come on before that idiot, Jack, finds us." I follow her down an alleyway, where a trap-door lay at the end. "We're supposed to go down there; its' a great hiding spot. When you're gone, I hide in here all the time." Amelia kneels on the ground, dirtying her skirts. She tries to open the trap door, though in the end, she asks me to do it for her. _Shouldn't this be easy for her if she's hidden in here before? _With ease, I lift the handle, looking down into the darkness. "By the way, Hobbes like shiny things. Like that locket I gave you."

I turned around and looked at her, bewildered. "What?" Before I knew it, Amelia pushed me with all of her strength, causing me to fall down into the darkness and tumble down shadowed steps. Before I could crawl back up to the entrance, the door shuts closed and I am alone.

My heart races as I try to look around. Though I cannot see anything, there is _something_in here with me. There is rustling coming from somewhere, though I dared not to let myself think that it was a Hobbe. Mum told me many times that Hobbes did not exist. Taking a deep breath, I sit up straight, putting my hands on the step I was on. I tried to think of a way to get out of here (_alive_, preferably) and what to do to Amelia when I see her, though I focused mainly on the 'getting out of a dark cellar'. Mum told me to stay in place if I ever get lost, as she will find me herself. But I was underground in a dark cellar in a part of town I was sure that Mum never ventures through, scared to death of what could happen to me. What if heavy summer rains fall and flood the cellar? I don't know how to swim! I could drown! What if I run out of oxygen and suffocate to death?

As worried thoughts began to consume my mind, panic caused me to tremble and cry, though I forced myself not to sob or to make any sound. I had to be brave—

BOOM!

_What was that? _I could hear shouting from above and a scream. I wrapped my arms around myself. If there was anything in here, it would have done something by now.

BOOM!

That sounded like gunshots. _Perhaps it was best that I am in here after all. _Closing my eyes, I began to hum a lullaby, trying to ignore the creaks and the sounds coming from the cellar. I was afraid that if something was indeed in the cellar with me, it could hear my heart pounding against my chest. I thought about what Amelia had told me about Hobbes. Reaching up to my neck and feeling for the necklace, I pulled it off, tossing it in front of me.

Minutes turned into hours, though my mind couldn't process it, as time was going slowly. I was singing softly now, finding comfort in the sound of my voice. Suddenly, there was a crashing sound coming from right above my head and a loud thud. Without thinking, I let out a scream, feeling like my heart had just exploded. Soon afterwards, I began to hear shuffling sounds and clicks, as well as voices speaking nonsense words. I looked before me, seeing a violet glow a few feet before me. As it grew brighter, I began to back up, slowly inching up the stairs, though I kept my eyes before me. Before I knew it, the whole cellar was filled with light. Before me were five or six hideous creatures, all of which were wearing strange, tattered children's clothing. Their mouths were long and wide, with crooked sharp teeth. All of them were looking at me, though didn't move. The light was coming from a staff that one of the creatures held, staying bright. I was frozen in place.

BOOM!

In the blink of an eye, the creatures open their mouths, making gurgling sounds and shouts, looking around in what seemed like chaotic bewilderment. This was the first time I noted that each of the little beings carried weapons on their backs, which added to my fear. What were these strange little creatures? Surely they could not be Hobbes…

BOOM! _What could possibly be going on out there?_ I turned my head and looked up at the trap door. There was another scream. Something tugged at my sleeve. When I looked, I saw that one of the creatures was right before me, a strange look on it ugly face. My first instinct was to scream and back away, though I could tell that it wanted something. It made a whimpering sound, as if it was trying to say something to me. "What do you want?" I asked. It pointed at itself, then at me. Then, still holding onto my sleeve, it reached into a pouch at its side, pulling out a piece of red meat that smelled of decay. I wanted to vomit at the sight of blood dripping from it. I shook my head, though it seemed to insist, holding the thing closer to its face. "I'm not hungry." It shrugged and let go of me and, much to my horror, opened it mouth and ate the thing.

There came another sound, though it was not a boom nor a thud, nor did it come from the creatures in the cellar with me. Instead, it was more like a shuffling sound coming from above. I looked up once more and heard a creaking, seeing that the trap door was beginning to be opened. The creature scrambled away from me. "There might be more down here, sir!"

"I think I see someone down there!"

I stayed where I was, unknowing what to do. A single black boot stepped inside, though a dark shadow was cast over its owner. I could not see this person, but by its size, I knew it was a man. "See? I was right, Sir Lionheart!" The man took another step inside and bent down, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me up to my feet. Before I knew it, I was outside and facing a guard. "Oh…"

"Are you all right?" I looked up to see a shadowed face.

"Yes, sir."

"Good," The man knelt down, facing me. When I saw him, I nearly gasped. His face was all too familiar to me, though it was strange seeing the real thing. "Guard, make sure that all the bandits have all been slain or rounded up. I will escort this child home." I was speechless. This man before me, with blue eyes and graying blond hair…

"Yes, sir!"

…this man was my father.

_**A/N:**__** So yeah, the conclusion to Chapter one. Please review. It will make me more than happy. **_


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